Method of reclaiming contaminated oils



H. H. MORETON METHOD 0F RECLAIMAING CONTAMINATED OILS Oct.` 20, 1931.

Filed F'eb. 18. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l w 2 i @Hanomag RN Nw @vf NN NN ww Oct. 20, 1931. H H, MORETQN 1,828,428

METHOD OF RECLAIMINGCONTAMINATED OILS Filed Feb. 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY H. MORETON, F SANTAMONICA, CALIFORNIA'ASSIGNOR OE ONE-THIRD 'ro o. B. ENGLISCH, OF CHICAGO, rumors, AND ONE-THIRD To CHARLES E. CRAIG., OF

Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA' METHOD 0F R-ECLAIMING C(i)NTAIVIINATEDV OILS Y' Application tiled `February 18, 1928. Serial 11o. 255,406.

. This invention is a method of treatingwcontaminated oils, such ascrank case oiland the like so that the said oils may bereclaimed and rendered fit for reuse. Y f l i @ne of the objects of the" invention .is to Aprovide for an effective elimination ofy the mechanical. 'mpurities which are suspended in used oils, such forfinstance as crankcase oils. A further Objectis to provide for eectually removing' any gasoline -or similar volatile content. A further object is to effectually filter the oil in such manner that a maXi.- mumv elimination of the impurities `may be obtained within a minimum periodl of time, andV without the necessity of employing ez;-

pensive and cumbersome apparatus.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims." v ,v M y) In the accompanying drawings t ,n Figure 1 is a sideelevation andFigurefQ isa front elevation ilhistratingT a `.forml of apparatus for carrying out the inventiomit being understood however, that' saidapparatus is' merely illustrative yin character, .and that the method. herein-involved is not limited thereto. Figure is a detail sectional view illustrating thefilter. "Figure 4 is a similar view illustrating the vaporizing apparatus. j

Referring to the drawings. lOdesig'natesA a frame work in the top of which is supported a tank 11 for receiving the oil to be treated. Said tank is provided ,with a suitablefilling opening normally closed by a removableplug 12. Leading from the bottom ofsaid tank is a discharge-pipe 13, Controlled by ap'valve 14, said pipe discharging into a vaporiz-ing Chamber 15 suitably supported in said' frame. Said vaporizing chamber 15 consists: ofa trough-like casing in which the voil may be heated in anyT desired manner. It is, preferred, however. to employ one or more `electrical heating elements conventionally. illustratedat 16, supported bythe head 17,1and extending longitudinallv of the casing at va .level to besubmerged in the oil.. :Current maybe supplied to the aheate'r through'an electric Cable 18`co`nneetedzwith'a source of electricity V(not shown.):,iThe top of. the

casing 15 normally closedV by a hood 19,

so as to Adirect the volatile constituents of the oil to a iue 20, by means of which said volatile `Constituents may be conducted away, preferably to a suitable condenser (not shown). y Y i v The heater element 16 may be constructed to raise the temperature of the oil to any desired degree,preferably not exceeding; 300 F. It has been foundV in practice that if the oil is heated to 21A-.temperature of approximately 260o F., and uniformly maintained at that temperature for a short time, the gasoline and other similar voltatile diluents will be fully driven oft', because the combination of gasoline and similarV voltatile hydrocarbonswith the oil appears to be merely a mechanical mixture 'which is readily broken up at the named temperature. l A

VVln orderthat the vliow of the oil through the. vaporizing chamber may be controlled, so as to subi ect it to the desired heatingr temperature for along Venough period. to insure separation of the volatile Contents` a thermostatic valve V is emnloved. Said valve consists of a tube 220i? brass or similar metal.

mounted in a bushing screwed into an end wall of tbe chamber 15 so as to subm erge the tube Within tbe oil contained within the chamber. Said tube is nrovided with nerforations Q4 to permit oil to flow into the tube and the other endv of the tube is closed bv a can 25 provided with an outlet opening Q6. 'The `How of oil through said oneuinq is oontrolled bv means of a| rod 9,7 of steel or other metal havinnf a di fFerent eXoansion from tb at of the tube said rod being supported at its linner end bv tbe inner endof the tube. as indicated at 27a. It is to be understood that while the oil is cold orbelow the-,temperature for which `the thermostat is set. the oneniuuj 26 is closed bv tbe rod 27 in a manner to pre- Vvent tbe outow of oil from said heating` drawn from the opening 26 andthe oil is free to Vflow therethrough. VThe cap 25 has a, threaded engagementwith the end of the tubefZL so that it may be adjusted with respect to the rod to vary the range of movement of the rod 26 with respect thereto.

The oil is discharged from the heating chamber 15 through a delivery pipe 28, having its discharge end located above a filling opening 29 in the top of a storage chamber 30, so that the oil will be discharged into said chamber 30. The opening 29 may be closed by a suit-able removable plug 31. LeadingV into the top of the tank 30 is a pressure supply pipe 32 controlled by a valve 33, and connected with a suitable source of pressure (not shown) such as an air compressor or the like. A

Located in a plane below the tank 30 is a filter F, which consists of a casing 35 having a fiange 3G at its lower end, to which are secured a perforated plate 37 and sheets 3,8 of filtering material. Said filter casing is connected with the storage tank 30 by means of a pipe 39, controlled by avalve 40. rlhe filter is also provided With a lbloivcff valve 41. The filtering operation is greatly facilitated by raising the vtemperature ofthe oil while being filterechand for this purpose the filter casing 35 is provided with heating means such as an electrical heater 42, similar to the heater employed in thevaporizin'g chamber 15. i

In order to hasten the filtering operation, and facilitate the separationrof the mechani cal impurities lfrom the oil, the filter cham# ber is providedv With a bed 43 of calcareous cement. It is preferred to use iinelypoivdered gypsum for this purpose', becauseV this material is more easily handled vand appears to have a very stronga'iiinity' for carbon-par ticiesI and other mechanical' impurities sus pended in the oil. But any other calcareous cements such as Portland cement', and natural cement for instance, willV serve. In practice, the gypsum may be deposited upon the filter cloths 38 and spread tli'ereover in a layer `of the desired thickness.' Or', if'desired, the gypsum may be mixed with other substances such as acid treated filter clay, or a powdered dry alkali, sueltas soda ash. Or the gypsum sione or mixed With either-of the other substances above mentionedA may 'be mixed With clean oil to form a pasteland placed in the filter chamber. The result is that irrespective of the form in Which'the calcareous material is employed, it quickly forms an even surfaceunder `pressure and J perfect filterin starts at once.

In operation, the oil to bel treated is introduced into the tank 11 and, allowed to iiovv therefrom into thevaporizing chamber l5. W hen the oil in ther said vaporizing Ycharnber has, reached the temperature at which the thermostat Will operate, the discharge valve Will open and the oil will flow out of said chamber intothe storage tank 304.. In the meanwhile, the heater element Will have raised the `tempm'ature of the oil suliciently to cause the volatile diluents to pass upWardly into the hood 19 and flue 20. Then the tank 30 has been filled, the fiovv of oil from the tank 11 is arrested by means of the valve 14, and the inlet opening 29 of the tank 30 is closed by the plug 31. The valve 33 is then opened and pressure is introduced through the pipe 32 into the tank 30, thereby forcing the oil through the pipe 39 into the filter chamber 35, the valve Ll0 being opened to permit this flow. As the oil is forced through the bed 43 of calcareous material, the carbon particles are attracted to saidmaterial, but the oil is permitted to flow throughunder pressure into a suitable container located belovv the filter, the filter cloth also uperforming theusual functions of such material, i. e.'retaining the mechanical impurities lwhich, are not attracted by the calcareous material.y

[The advantages of the4 invention will be readily understood by those skilled 1n the art to Which'it belongs. For instance, a very important Vadvantage'is that contaminated oils,

such as crank case oil for instance, may be so e purified in a short space of time that it is capable of reuse in any capacity for which it Was originally intended. It Will also be noted that the process is an exceedingly simple and inexpensive one, being economically r.'

carriedout because it avoids the use of highly expensive, cumbersome, apparatus.

No 'claim for the apparatus is made herein because said apparatus is made the subject yof a separate application filed February 18, 1928, Serial No. 255,405.

l Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described an operative manner .of constructing and using the same, although Without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all ofthe forms of itsujse, What'is claimed is c 1. A. method of reclaiming contaminated lubricating oils comprising providing a fixed bedv of calcareous substance possessing the characteristic of attracting to it mechanical impurities suspended inthe oil, and causing the oil to filter through said bed.

' 2. A,method of Ireclaiming contaminated lubricating oils comprising providing a fixed bed of acalcareous substance possessing the characteristic ofattracting to it mechanical impurities suspended inthe oil, and heating the oil in the vicinityr of said bed during the`iiltration. y l Y 3. method of reclaiming contaminated lubricating oils comprising first raising the temperature of the oil'to remove any volatile diluent'sl which may be carried thereby, providing' 1a fiiiedbed ofcalcareous substance having thecapability of attracting to it mechanical impurities suspended in the oil', and causing the oil to filter through said bed.

4'. A methody of `reclaiming contaminated :lubricating oils comprising first heating the lOO oil to remove any gasoline which may be suspended therein, providing a fixed bed of a calcareous substance possessing the capability of attracting to it mechanical impurities suspended in the oil, and causing the oil to filter through said bed.

5. A method of reclaiming contaminated lubricating oils comprising providing a normally stationary, paste-like filter bed which includes gypsum as a constituent so that mechanical impurities suspended in the oil Will be physically attracted to said filter bed, and causing the oil to filter through said bed.

6. A method of reclaiming contaminated lubricating oils comprising passing the oil through a normally stationary paste-like il- Y ter bed consisting of a calcareous substance having the capability of physically attracting mechanical impurities suspended in the oil. Y

7 A method of reclaiming contaminated lubricating oils comprising bringing the oil into a normally xed bed of a finely divided calcareous cement possessing the quality of mechanically attractin to it carbon particles suspended in the 011, and applying pressure to the oil to force it through said bed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY H. MORETON. 

